Leadership Principles

Leadership Principles is designed to help new and aspiring leaders unleash the potential in themselves and others, and cultivate high-performing teams. Become a more versatile leader who can mobilize others by immersing yourself in real-world leadership challenges, self-assessments, and 360-degree feedback from colleagues and peers.

Coach colleagues and share feedback in ways that enable them to develop and deliver

Handle stressful and demanding leadership situations

Take charge of your professional development as you navigate the challenges of transitioning from an individual contributor to a leader

About the Professors

Joshua Margolis is the James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, Unit Head of the School’s Organizational Behavior Unit, and Faculty Chair of the Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning. He is co-author of the book People and Profits: The Search for a Link between a Company’s Social and Financial Performance, and has won numerous awards, including the Robert F. Greenhill Award and the Apgar Award for Innovation in Teaching.

Anthony Mayo is the Thomas S. Murphy Senior Lecturer of Business Administration in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School. He served as director of the School’s Leadership Initiative for 16 years and was previously the course head for FIELD, a required experiential, field-based course in the first year of the MBA program. He is co-editor of the volume Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience, which is scheduled for release in 2019.

Who Will Benefit

Early- and Mid-Career Professionals

Prepare for leadership roles after working as an individual contributor or functional specialist.

Early-Stage or Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Program Structure

The course begins with a two-week prework period in which you’ll be asked to complete a self-assessment and solicit feedback from colleagues, such as managers, peers, and direct reports. The evaluation will take approximately one hour of your time and roughly 30 minutes for each colleague who participates.

Upon successful completion of the evaluation—which requires at least two colleague surveys in addition to the self-assessment—you’ll receive a detailed report that provides insight into your emotional intelligence and how you’re perceived by others. Emotional intelligence is a central theme of the Leadership Principles course. By completing the evaluation, you’ll enhance your knowledge of both the course materials and your personal leadership.

The course content is delivered over a four-week period after the prework concludes. The course also features several video upload exercises in which you'll be presented with scenarios and asked to video record yourself reacting to various leadership challenges. These exercises have been developed to let you step into the shoes of decision-makers, gain insight into your leadership style, practice techniques taught in the course, and—in some cases—share feedback with fellow learners. You can record yourself on a phone, computer, or other video recording device and will be asked to upload the video to the course. You should expect to spend approximately seven to nine hours per week on coursework, which can be completed on your own time while meeting regular deadlines.

Syllabus

Leadership Principles leverages self-assessments, 360° feedback from colleagues, and the perspectives of fellow learners to help participants build greater self-awareness and enhance the versatility of their leadership style and approach. Through multimedia case studies and interviews with experts, participants in this program will experience wide-ranging leadership challenges and develop the skills needed to address different situations capably and authentically.

Learning requirements: In order to earn a Certificate of Completion, participants must thoughtfully complete all modules (Prework and Modules 1-4) by stated deadlines.

Prework: In the first two weeks, you'll complete a self-assessment as part of 360° Emotional and Social Competency Inventory and ask colleagues, managers, and/
or direct reports to rate you on dimensions of emotional and social intelligence

Create a diagram of your professional network in order to visualize, reflect on, and better utilize professional relationships

Reflect on what you’ve learned throughout the course, and consider your personal leadership development plan

The HBS Online Advantage

World-class faculty

Edge-of-your-seat online learning

Global peer collaboration and networking

Real-world, case-based learning

Harvard Business School Online offers a unique and highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts. Immerse yourself in real challenges faced by a diverse group of leaders, including Gonzalo Muñoz Sanz of the Leadership Development Program at Amadeus North America; Yvonne Chen, vice president of marketing for Udemy for Business; Mike Anello, managing director and co-founder of M33 Growth; Mia Mends, CEO of Inspirus and Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, USA; Iz-Lynn Chan, CEO of BHG Retail REIT; and Mark Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Liftoff. Step into their shoes and wrestle with the same issues they faced, while engaging with fellow learners from around the world.

Stories from Our Learners

"Leadership Principles was an informative and introspective experience that gave me insight into further developing my leadership skills. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to gain a 360° perspective on their own leadership tendencies along with a look at how others from vastly varied backgrounds approach different, complex situations in the workplace."

Jimmy McCormick,
Digital Marketing Specialist

"I really enjoyed the case studies about how leaders have faced and overcome real-life challenges at work. Leadership Principles made me more mindful of how my colleagues experience me, and less averse to having difficult conversations."

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.